BANGOR – The third annual March of Dimes dinner auction, to benefit the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, at the Elks Club on Odlin Road.

Last year more than $11,000 worth of items were donated for the auction. This year organizers expect more than 10 of the area’s top restaurants to be represented at the auction. Organizers said the annual event has become Bangor’s premiere dinner auction.

The evening will be highlighted with local entertainment, visits from the University of Maine coaching staff and the March of Dimes State Prematurity Campaign honorary chairwoman, the first lady of Maine, Karen Baldacci. The governor may be in attendance as well.

In conjunction with the dinner auction, the March of Dimes also will sponsor a raffle. The raffle items are several jewelry pieces, a trip to Vermont and an Old Town Canoe kayak.

Money raised from the auction will be used to fund the mission of the March of Dimes – to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. The current focus of the March of Dimes is on premature birth.

Prematurity is the number one obstetric challenge and leading problem in pediatrics, according to March of Dimes officials. Each year, more than 460,000 babies are born too soon, some so small they fit into the palm of a hand. Many of those babies must fight to survive, while others will struggle with lifelong health problems. No one knows what causes half of all premature births, but the March of Dimes is working hard to find out. The organization needs help in the form of sponsorship, monetary donations and donations of new products or services to be auctioned at the March of Dimes third annual dinner auction.

Those who would like to purchase tickets to attend the March of Dimes third annual dinner auction or make a donation to the March of Dimes, may call 989-3376 or (800) 287-6346.

For information about March of Dimes activities, call Gene Staffiere, director of the Northern Maine Division, at 989-3376.